In The Woods

This morning it said on the news it would get to 98 degrees today.

I wanted to go running before it got too hot.

I hemmed and hawed between the Manasquan Reservoir and Holmdel Park.

Usually I know exactly where I want to go, what I want to do and why. But this morning there was no clarity …the reservoir, the park, the reservoir, the park.

I decide to go to the reservoir and at the very last minute switch to the park.

Normally driving to the park I feel happy. It’s so pretty there. I love the paths in the trees. The air is clean and it just makes me feel good.

But this morning I don't feel any of that.

I get to the park and start on my usual path.

I run up and down hills.

I pass sweaty, struggling people. Happy people. Intense people. Someone making a very important point to some imaginary person in his head. He sliced the air with a straight hand across his body as if to say, I’ve had it with you, I’m done!

I get to the hill that’s so steep, I don’t usually see anyone else on it. I get up the hill, do the loop around and get back to the base of the hill for my second climb.

About a third of the way up I hear someone behind me. It isn’t all that unusual. Others sometimes face the hill.

But it’s usually a person who’s serious about hiking or getting a good workout.

I turn around and see a man wearing jeans, intently closing the gap between us.

He doesn’t look like someone who’d come to the park for a workout.

I look at his face.

Normally, a man on the hill would acknowledge me in a friendly way to establish some camaraderie and alleviate any concern I might have about him being a threat.

It’s a tacit understanding between the sexes.

This man looks up at me. We make eye contact.

He doesn’t smile or say anything. He climbs closer.

There’s no one else nearby.

I look ahead and move faster, grateful I’ve done this a million times and can get up the hill pretty quickly.

I hear the man breathing behind me.

I look straight ahead and take bigger, faster steps.

I get to the top of the hill and run fast out of the woods to the open field with people ...sweet, lovely, wonderful, perfect people …playing tennis.

I get a safe distance away and look behind me to the opening of the path.

There’s no one there.

I start to run again and think about what happened.

Was he just a random person, possibly offended that I assumed he was up to no good, or did he mean to do me harm?

I decided it didn’t matter.

My gut said run, and you don’t second guess your gut to spare someone’s feelings.

I think about how it’s a metaphor for life.

If someone wants to tussle with you in the woods, you don’t have to participate. Get yourself out. It’s up to them to find their own way out.

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